Marine Navigator update causing problems

[Overner]

Hello all, Steve from VisitMyHarbour here. If you bought Android chartsets from us please read this:


Huge upheaval here, brought about by changes to the Android OS. New Android OS will not allow you to put/move things to external SD card (other than pictures, etc).

Mr Koenig the Marine Navigator app developer has had to deal with instructions from google about how all apps now have to operate in this new environment. Hence new app, released 16/4/15 is causing us a caseload. This is the most disruptive update ever done on the app, but was essential for it to work in the new Android environment (while being able to use external SD cards).

You will not lose your charts, it's not a cynical ploy to make you re-purchase. Background infomation :

http://www.visitmyharbour.com/articles/3962/app-updatedlost-my-charts-

The symptoms are that after a forced app update, suddenly your previously working charts stop working..worrying.

Mr Koenig has built in a migration process to move your working charts to the required new location. You will be asked to migrate when you start the new app. This should all work smoothly providing your charts were on the main storage. If they were on an external SD card you will need about 2 Gb spare space on that card for the transition.

You will see the migration in progress (migration can be initiated manually too). Once migrated...and this is where the problem is occurring... You need to "Set Path" to the migrated chartset in it's new storage space.

http://www.visitmyharbour.com/articles/3963/app-updatedmigration-problems


Link above shows how with 2 sceenshots, it's a couple of "clicks" job.

Once that's done, you'll have your charts back again.

Once again, sorry for the disruption, this update is required by the new Android OS. Marine Navigator will always remain backward compatible with previously existing charts.

Best regards to all,

Steve at VMH

PS will be available Sunday on the Cowes shop number from 11-3 to deal with phone calls

 

[LadyInBed]

What version of Android OS is causing the problem?

 

[Overner]

It's the latest version of Android, been out a little while now. Users can't do what they used to do with external SD storage anymore


Mr Koenig warned us a while back:


1. Storage Management: Google has changed the write permission for 3rd party apps recently. 3rd party apps are no longer allowed to write to external storages. There is one exception. Apps can write to so-called app internal folders (/Android/data/<app-package-
name>/files. Therefore, the next version will no longer support external folders (too complicate to setup for the average user). Instead, the app will manage all charts in app internal folders, which will be created on all storage devices. The app will scan the available space of all storage devices and automatically distribute the imported charts based on the available space. This feature is already implemented and it works pretty well. Importing charts is pretty easy now. The user doesn't have to define any settings. Consequently, he doesn't have to care of all the restrictions regarding accessing the different storages.


2. Additionally, I plan to store all chart set headers in one app internal folder. The user will no longer be forced to copy the chart set header manually. Instead, he will just click on the EMAIL attachment and marine navigator will take care of moving the attached header file to the right place. Internal are hidden to the customer. This will significantly simplify the activation handling.

3. Samsungs hardware menu button is constantly causing trouble. A lot of Samsung users cannot find the button. Therefore, I plan to set the display to immersive mode (full screen without navigation and status bar) and place an explicit MENU button on the screen.

 

[LadyInBed]

So you are refering to Android 5.0 – Lollipop?

 

[Overner]

"In Android 4.4 "Kitkat" (API 19) Google has changed the default permissions for the external SD Card (usually microSD). Since that Android OS version third-party apps have no more access to write on the SD Card. It's a bit problematic, because now you might not be able to use your favourite Files Manager to move or copy files on the external storage."

4.4 KitKat onwards by the look of it

http://android-revolution-hd.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/how-to-unlock-external-sd-card-writing.html

I know little about Android and app, just make compatible raster charts..

Mr Koenig is the expert

 

[ianj99]

I hate to be negative but Mr Koenig has more work to do than just fix this issue. It is a major disadvantage in not being able to get nmea data via wifi and something that caught me out, so I'm afraid I've had to switch to using Memory Map with the same UKHO charts and now have all nmea data including AIS on my Xperia tablet.

 

[jakeroyd]

I had this problem , and not knowing quite what to do chose No for the migration request when you first open the updated app.
This then left me having to copy my chartset from the external card into the phones memory , BSB_ROOT folder.
Following this you have to select the migrate function and maybe set the path to the BSB_ROOT folder.
The chartset is then migrated.

Took ages on my Galaxy Note 2

However all seems restored except the selection of charts near the users location seems a bit clunkier than before , maybe that's subjective.

I wrote to Mr Koenig and can only say his responses are an exemplary , fast , patient and accurate.

If you do this you can then delete the chartset on your external card.

I think the files are migrated to MNX_ROOT but are then not visible in it cos they are hidden or encrypted ?

I tend to navigate with Navionics but use MN to give me admiralty charts to cross check things with.

 

[jakeroyd]

I should add you only get one chance to choose the migrate option on initial opening of the updated app

 

[bikerbill]

The new update has caused problems with me. It did not allow me to migrate, telling me that there were no charts in the SD card. Ended up having to delete VMH charts from the phone and start from scratch. The Nexus tablet seems to be ok. I've sent Steve an email asking for a new activation code